Mach-Zender interferometers and Michelson interferometers are known in the art. The interferometers typically include a beamsplitter which divides a signal from a light source into two separate signals which are in-phase with one another. One signal is sent through a reference arm which may include a compensation element. The other signal is sent through a measurement arm, in which the optical signal is exposed to some change in amplitude and phase. In the Mach-Zender interferometer, after the signals have propagated through their respective reference and measurement arms, the signals are combined, whereas in the Michelson interferometer, after the signals have propagated through their respective arms they are reflected back through the arms again where they are then combined. The combined beams produce an interference pattern with bright and dark regions indicative of the phase of the signal beam relative to the reference. The dependence of the brightness of the interference pattern on the relative phase and amplitude is complicated. The interferometers are sensitive to noise, and the algorithms involved in performing the phase retrieval and comparisons are cumbersome, involving lengthy calculations and introducing errors.